


You can do the job when you're in town

by katayla



Category: The OC
Genre: Community: schmoop_bingo, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-08
Updated: 2010-12-08
Packaged: 2017-10-13 14:14:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/138263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katayla/pseuds/katayla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seth is planning on proposing to Summer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You can do the job when you're in town

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://community.livejournal.com/schmoop_bingo/profile)[**schmoop_bingo**](http://community.livejournal.com/schmoop_bingo/) prompt "proposal."

"It has to be big!" Seth said, as he paced back and forth in Ryan's Berkley apartment.

"It does not have to be big," Ryan said.

"I'm asking her to marry me, Ryan. I have to make some sort of"

"Do not say 'grand gesture.'"

"Would a display at a sports game be too cliche?"

"Yes," Ryan said. "Especially since neither of you like sports."

"That's not true," Seth said. "I watched the Super Bowl this year."

"Who won?"

"Ryan, you really can't expect me to remember details."

"No sports games."

"Okay, what about at a concert? I could rush up on stage, take the microphone and propose."

"And you'd get arrested and Summer would say 'no.'"

"She's not going to say 'no'."

"But bailing you out of jail isn't a great start to an engagement."

"Fine," Seth said. " _You_ think of something better."

"How about you take her somewhere private, tell her you love her and propose?"

"That's boring. I have to do something she's going to remember."

"Right," Ryan said. "Because getting engaged is such a forgettable experience in general."

"It has to be special."

Seth caught Ryan's look and said. "Okay, I know you're going to say it's going to be special, no matter what, because we love each other, and maybe you're right. But our relationship was built on grand gestures."

"True."

"So shouldn't our marriage start off with one?"

"I'm pretty sure your marriage should start off with things like love, honesty, communication"

"Ryan!"

"Okay, okay," Ryan said, holding up his hands. "I am on board for the grand gesture."

"Good." Seth leaned forward. "So, how about this?"

*

"Please tell me he's not going to do anything insane," Kirsten said to Ryan.

"Regular-insane or Seth-insane?" Ryan asked.

"Oh, those are not reassuring words," Sandy said.

"Just watch," Ryan said.

It was Seth and Ryan's college graduation party. Berkley parties were much more casual than Newport Beach parties and yet they shared one important feature: a DJ. Who possessed a microphone Seth was ever-so-earnestly talking him out of.

As far as Ryan could tell, the DJ eventually gave up protesting and let Seth have it. Seth tapped on the mic and then brought it to his lips and said, "Summer Roberts."

Summer looked up from her spot next to Taylor. She had so much affection on her face that Ryan wondered if she knew or if that was what it was like for Seth and Summer all the time. If all it took was a look and you could tell how in love they were.

"I was talking to Ryan about you the other day," Seth said, as soon as he had everyone's attention. "Which really isn't so unusual. The first day I met Ryan, I told him I was going to take you to Tahiti on the boat I named after you. Of course, seeing as I had yet to speak to you, I'm pretty sure Ryan thought I was crazy."

Everyone laughed at that, even the people who didn't know the story.

"There's a good chance Ryan still thinks I'm crazy," Seth said. "But he didn't think I was crazy when I told him I was going to ask you to marry me."

There were gasps in the crowd and Taylor squeezed Summer's arm in excitement.

Seth held up a hand. "Hold your excitement, guys. I'm not proposing quite yet."

"You see," Seth said, as he paced back and forth. "I wanted to make this special. Ryan seemed to think I was worrying too much, but I declared my love to her on stage at junior prom. How does a guy follow that up?

"I've been thinking that our relationship was built on grand gestures, but then I realized it's also been built on, well, me humiliating myself. And I thought, what better way to humiliate myself then to sing in front of a crowd of people?"

"If you sing, I'm going to say no," Summer called out. But she smiled at Seth and he looked back at her for such a long moment that Ryan found his gaze drifting to Taylor. She looked back at him and he wondered.

"I'll take my chances," Seth said. "You have Ryan to thank for the song selection."

He took a deep breath. "Highway run. Into the midnight sun."

Which was about as long as it took for Ryan to regret the suggestion. He was pretty sure Seth was making up the tune as he went along.

"I'm forever yours . . . faithfully." Seth's voice cracked.

Summer stood up, walked over to Seth and took the microphone from him.

"What Seth left out," she said, "is that another cornerstone of our relationship is me saving him from humiliating himself."

Seth took the mic back. "I think you're a little late."

And Summer grabbed it again. "I thought you had something to ask me."

"Should I get down on one knee?"

"If you want to do it right."

And Seth took the mic from Summer and set it gently down. He slid to one knee and took her hand. "Summer Roberts, will you marry me?"

"Yes."


End file.
